(Minghui.org) The world renowned Munich Oktoberfest attracts huge numbers of tourists from around the world every year. September 22, 2012 was the festival's official opening this year, and the downtown pedestrian streets were bustling with people.
To let more people know about the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China, local practitioners held a series of events in front of St. Michaelskirche Church. The practitioners demonstrated the exercises, displayed truth-clarifying posters and banners, and chatted with passersby.
Falun Gong information booth at St. Michaelskirche Church
The activities drew a crowd, and many people had questions such as, “What is Falun Gong?” and “Why is the Chinese Communist regime persecuting it?” After they were told that the persecution was motivated by the Party’s fear of the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, which are counter to the communist doctrine, and that practitioners had been sent to forced labor camps and prisons to be tortured, brainwashed, and even killed for their organs, people were outraged and readily signed a petition to support Falun Gong. Some Chinese tourists decided to quit the Communist Party and its affiliated organizations at the event.
Four Germans in traditional Bavarian attire said that they had talked to practitioners outside the Chinese Consulate in Hamburg and had signed a petition calling for an end to the persecution there. Another tourist told the practitioners that they had been given materials in London. A person from China said that he had quit the Chinese Communist Party online because the Party had done so many “evil things.” The practitioners collected signatures from tourists from Italy, Spain, Vietnam, Iran, Tibet, Singapore, Austria, and Hungary.
Munich doctor Karim Kaviani read the posters about organ harvesting for a long time, and after talking to practitioners, he decided to sign the petition. He said, “Such a practice [harvesting organs from living practitioners] is appalling.”
One young girl was out with her friends for a “farewell to the single life” party. When she saw the exercise demonstration and the photo display, she grasped a practitioner's arm and asked, “What happened? You've got to tell me.” When she learned about the persecution, she replied firmly, “I will sign to help.” When her friends called her to leave, she said that she had to sign the petition first, because it was very important. After signing, she said, “I am getting married in two weeks, and I am very happy. I hope that everything with you will go well.”
Many tourists from China passed by the Falun Gong booth, and quite a few took photos of the demonstration and banners, which read “Falun Dafa Is Good” and “120 Million People Have Quit the Chinese Communist Party.” Some talked to practitioners and some decided to quit the Party.
